


Promise

by Le_Gwenn



Series: It takes a village... [1]
Category: Overwatch (Video Game)
Genre: Alpha Hanzo Shimada, Alpha Reaper | Gabriel Reyes, Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Angst, F/M, Implied Sexual Content, Implied/Referenced Character Death, Jesse gets sick a lot, M/M, Mpreg, Omega Jesse McCree, Omega Verse, Scenting, a bit (a lot) off canon, poor decisions
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-10-08
Updated: 2017-10-08
Packaged: 2019-01-10 10:59:30
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 4,483
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12297825
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Le_Gwenn/pseuds/Le_Gwenn
Summary: Jesse McCree has a secret, Angela wants to help.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> First Overwatch fic posted woooo!
> 
> Trust me, there's way more where this came from. Hope you enjoy!
> 
> Comments and kudos give me life, so drop em if you want!

_He’s dead,_

 

_He’s dead,_

 

_He’s dead,_

 

_He’s dead,_

 

_They’re dead._

 

It plays over and over again like a mantra, head swimming. He’d hoped… Hoped they’d make it out. He wasn’t much one for praying, but as soon as he was out he was on his knees in a heartbeat. If anyone was listening, let them get out. Anyone left behind-- _let them live._

 

The news report drew on for what felt like forever. The headline haunting, the grim look on the reporter’s face forever etched into his brain. Nobody else seemed to be watching, giving the television but a glance before returning to their coffee. He couldn't look away, bile creeping up his throat, head light.

 

_Overwatch Base Explodes, Morrison, Reyes, and Amari MIA_

 

He tries to stand, stumbles, catches himself and leaves without paying. He runs, unsure of where. Anywhere but here, away from the many prying eyes, away from anyone that can smell the distress off of him.

 

The inside of his thigh burns. It chafes against his jeans as he runs through the crowd, but never has it burned so terribly. It had finally started to heal, but now felt like the bite had split open. Just last week he had comfort in the wound, Gabe licking away the blood mere moments after biting him.

 

Years. He waited _years_ to earn that bite. He was so happy that night, daydreaming about everything that would follow. The future was so open, because now they were _mates._ The future held love, and promise, but now…

 

Now, it had all shattered before his very eyes.

 

Gabe was _dead._

 

The nausea wins, and he sticks his head in a bin before getting sick.

 

* * *

 

It took less than half a year before a recall is issued. He’s in New Mexico at the time, living on a tiny little plot of land. He’s bought himself a tiny little farmhouse in the middle of nowhere, mainly eats out of his garden and raises a few chickens. He only rarely makes an appearance in town, content alone with nothing but himself and the desert.

 

But now, he has to decide if he must leave or not. Winston has summoned everyone to Gibraltar, where Jesse has only visited twice in his many years in overwatch. It wouldn't be unfamiliar, but it definitely wasn’t the desert sands where he was born and raised.

 

But now, there is more on the line.

 

His decision is made.

 

* * *

 

“We’re all thrilled you’re here, Jesse.” Angela’s voice is smooth and comforting. It’s a welcome sound, one that he hadn’t realized he was missing all this time. “Some didn’t think you’d come. We all know how you missed New Mexico.”

 

“It was strange going back, at first. It didn’t take long for the desert to feel like home again, though.” He confesses. Angela looks at him with something akin to pity, her smile meant to make him feel better and failing. “Any news on other agents?” He asks in attempt to change the subject.

 

“Well, we got word from Genji about a week ago, but haven’t heard from him since.” She says, opening a filing cabinet and searching through the many files occupying the space. She always had a thing for storing things in a digital and physical form, lest something gets lost. Here it seems to come in handy, because she is without a datapad as far as he can tell.

 

“Was he still in Numbani?” He asks, remembering when Genji left all those years ago. He was off to find himself, travel the world and see the sights. Last he had heard, Genji was in Africa.

 

“Nepal, I believe.” Angela fishes out a rather large yet familiar file, setting it on a desk before flipping through the pages. “His message was somewhat vague, but as far as I can tell he’s truly become a better person in the mountains.” She’s smiling, though Jesse sees right through it. He knows for a fact that Genji and Angela were more than just friends, the same way Reyes wasn’t just his boss.

 

“That’s good to hear. He could be on his way right now.” Jesse tries. That earns a smile from the good doctor, and she finds what she’s looking for. He realizes that seeing Genji is just what he needs too, the support of a best friend in a trying time.

 

“Maybe,” She agrees. “But we can’t know for sure until he arrives.” She glances over what he can only imagine to be his most recent medical profile, humming a soft tune. She glances up, tilts her head to the side and squints.

 

“Jesse, are you alright?” She asks, carefully.

 

“What?” He asks, an arm coming up to wipe the moisture from his brow. And then he realizes the question; he’s sweating, despite how the med-bay is a reasonable temperature and he’s wearing nothing but jeans and a loose fitting t-shirt. “Oh, it’s nothin’. Just a bit nervous being back is all.”

 

He tries to look relaxed, though Angela isn’t fooled. “Is everything okay? _Really_ okay?”

 

“I…” His hands rest on his thighs, flesh fingers twitching. He curses himself and his nerves. “I’m alright. It’s just not the same.”

 

Something in Angela flashes over her face, something that Jesse easily recognizes as deep sorrow, and empathy.

 

“I know,” She says, pauses. “I know.”

 

There’s a silence, the two of them just staring at one another. It goes unspoken that Genji is very much alive, contact coming from mere days ago. Genji was nowhere near the base when it all came crumbling down. Gabriel, however--

 

“I’m going to go through with the routine medical exam, if you don’t mind.” Angela says, going back to the normal procedures. This, at least, is a normality for the both of them.

 

Angela asks about his arm, how it’s faring him. This test is easy, completing simple tasks with flying colors. Touching fingers to his thumb, giving simple hand gestures, bending his arm at the elbow. This all is easy and simple enough that he had forgotten his fear of what follows.

 

“Roll up your sleeve.” She says, not quite an order but not leaving room to argue.

 

He gives her the best smile he can, ever the charmer, and laughs a little.

 

“I think you’ve seen enough of my blood to know how this goes, doc.”

 

She laughs, digging around in a drawer. “I suppose you’re right,” She says, and for a moment he thinks he’ll actually get away with it. “But you know how this goes too, Jesse. I need an updated file, especially after all of this time you’ve been outside of my care.”

 

She’s always so cautious, so easy to trust, and easy to talk to. She remembers everything, especially those regarding her patients. (It’s no wonder she was so successful from the get-go.) He’s never once tried to avoid a medical procedure, and especially not one that involved drawing blood. He’s never once minded it, even donating regularly. This, of course, Angela notices. Just like everything else about him.

 

“Jesse,” She doesn’t play games. “Please roll up your sleeve.”

 

He shakes his head, mouth pressed into a tight line. “I can’t”

 

This time, Angela pulls up a chair and sits down. She leaves his file on her desk, hands clasped in her lap. She looks up to him from where he sits on the table, paper crinkling and tearing as he readjusts himself.

 

“Jesse, please tell me what’s wrong.”

 

“I… I can’t.”

 

“Why can’t you tell me?” She sighs, sits up a little straighter. “I can’t let you leave without drawing your blood, so if you can’t tell me now it's going to come out sooner or later.”

 

“You can’t-- _I_ can’t…” He’s at a loss for words, wanting to puke. She can’t know, nobody was supposed to know. Coming here was a mistake.

 

“Jesse…” Her hand reaches out, touches his own. Her thumb goes over his knuckles, her hand so much smoother than his rough, callus ridden one. This type of touch isn’t between doctor and patient, no. It’s way more than that. This time it’s between omega and omega, the kind of soothing touch that comes from someone who _truly_ knows where you're coming from. Someone who cares.

 

“I…” He must be pale, because Angela seems like she is prepared to catch him if he falls. “I’ve never said it out loud before.”

 

Angela stands and hugs him. Because of his height and his place on the table, Angela can only reach to his midsection. Her head rests on his chest, and in that moment he’s afraid that the cat’s out of the bag then and there. Angela knows everything, there’s no way she hasn’t noticed.

 

Quickly, Jesse pulls away. If she doesn’t know already, then she will in a moment. Her face doesn’t reveal anything when she takes a step back, and for that he’s grateful. He sighs, rolls up his sleeve, and holds out his arm.

 

“Just… just draw the stupid blood.” He says, defeated. Angela frowns, fetches a clean syringe and a cotton swab. She sterilizes his inner arm, knows exactly where to find the good veins, and draws. It’s over in seconds, Jesse holding the cotton over his arm without instruction.

 

Angela turns, begins the quick process that will reveal it all. She starts tapping into her computer, pulling up the results within seconds. Her face falls, and in that very moment Jesse wants to die.

 

He puts his face in his hands, feeling so very hopeless. All it takes is Angela to give her monitor one glance and suddenly that little detail goes from a secret to a well known fact. This isn’t something that won’t be kept between them, he knows.

 

“Jesse,” She says, voice soft. “How long did you think you could keep this from me?”

 

“A month, at most. Less, even.” He says, voice as small as it’s ever been. “It’s gettin’ harder to hide it an’ all.” He forces a laugh, pulling at his shirt to show exactly how loose it is. “Hard to look natural and keep it all a secret.”

 

“Jesse.” Angela’s voice is just as small as his.

 

“Ange.”

 

“This… this isn’t something I’m familiar with...” She confesses, glancing between where he sits and the screen. She shakes her head, grasping at straws. “I… how long?”

 

“Five months, two weeks, and three days.” He answers without hesitation. He could tell her the exact time and the weather too, how soft Gabe’s sheets were. He can tell her about that night in such vivid detail that he can hear the thunder crashing overhead and the wind outside. He can’t describe how comfortable he felt, that feeling indescribable. He was so _happy._

 

Angela frowns, looking at him with such pity that she too looks on the brink of tears. “A week before--?”

 

“Yes,” He interrupts. “A week exactly.”

 

She breathes in a shuddering breath, then gulps. “Lie down, please.”

 

He obliges, the thin paper crinkling yet again. Angela walks over, sets the chair beside him again and rolls over a machine. He’s been in this position before, Angela using the ultrasound to see if he had any kidney stones. He didn’t, in the end, but the procedure isn’t easily forgotten.

 

“Lift your shirt.” Angela says, and she sucks in a breath when he does. It’s like it’s been made more real when you’re seeing it, Jesse knows first hand. It was easy to tell exactly what’s been wrong with him when there’s not a shirt to hide it. The bump is obvious, growing larger by the day, to his utter demise. It’s terrifying, and some days he wishes it weren't there at all.

 

He feels like he’s going to be sick again, something that's been a frequent feeling not long after the Swiss base’s destruction. He closes his eyes, takes a deep breath and focuses on not throwing up. Faintly he can hear that Angela warned him about something, and then there's a cold liquid over his midsection. He hisses, opening his eyes and frowning. He’s done it before, felt the little wand over his skin, but not like this. _Not like this._

 

“This explains why I’m yet to see your trademark cigars, hm?” She jests, which earns a little smile from him.

 

“Went cold turkey as soon as I realized.” Which is true, though it took time. His first month or so was spent drinking and smoking tenfold, his way of mourning not particularly healthy. There wasn't a difference between pregnancy symptoms and hangover symptoms, so he didn’t think anything of it until he missed a heat. Looking back on it, he’s surprised he’s made it this far, doing all the ‘don’t’s in the most delicate stages.

 

He is, in fact, almost fearful of what Angela will see.

 

She stares at the screen just long enough to make him even more uneasy than before. She purses her lips in concentration, angling the wand just enough to get a better view.

 

“Well, I have quite a lot of research to do in _very_ little time,” Angela says, swiveling the screen over for him to see. “But I believe she looks healthy enough.”

 

Jesse sucks in a breath, met with a blue holographic. There, right before his very eyes, is a tiny human. Arms and legs, fingers and toes, vaguely human features over her face. _Her_ sticks with him most. A little girl, inside of him, sucking on her thumb. A tiny, _tiny_ thumb.

 

“I believe sex is determined around this time, but I’m not sure. I’ll have to update you on that…” Angela thinks aloud. He’s confident though, because a little girl suddenly sounds so wonderful. It sounded right, _a little girl_.

 

“I’ll make a couple copies of this for you.” Angela says with a smile, pressing a few buttons and freezing the screen. She pulls the wand away, cleaning his stomach off and walking off. He can’t find himself to care, too transfixed on what is before him.

 

Angela returns, handing him a box of tissues. It’s then he realizes he’d been crying, wiping away the tears as they fall. She helps him sit up. He fixes his shirt, taking a deep breath and running a hand over his stomach. There is only the faintest of flutter of movement in response, bringing a smile to his face. Kicks were few and far between, which was worrying at one point. Now, he had some bit of reassurance, seeing her for the first time.

 

“I’m going to have to inform Winston,” Angela says, jotting down something into his file before putting it back into the cabinet. “You’re not going on any missions anytime soon, for both your health and the baby’s.”

 

“I know.” He says, which feels awful. Here, he’s just a liability. Useless to the team when he’s out of commission. He’s another body for Angela to worry over, and for that he feels guilty.

 

“Nobody will have qualms for you to stay on base, I’m sure.” Angela says, licking her lips. She’s already typing something out on her computer, surely already sending out the notification and putting a flag on his flie. “I’m happy you’re here, Jesse. Instead of that desert.”

 

That strikes even more guilt into him, and he goes to wipe away more tears.

 

“Here you’re with people you trust, and people who love you. You’re not alone here, like you were in New Mexico. I want you to know that, because I know you’re scared, and everyone here wants to help you.” Angela stands, walking back over to him to hold his hands in hers.

 

“We’re a _team_ Jesse. We’re going to make this work, alright?”

 

“I’m so scared, Ange.” He whispers, almost like a secret. “I’m so fuckin’ scared.”

 

She hugs him then, and this time he doesn’t pull away. She holds him tight, a simple reassurance. _You’re going to be okay._

 

She smells like mint, and in that moment he wants nothing more than for Gabe to be there instead. He misses how Gabe smelled like spice, and how he could manage wrapping his arms around Jesse all the way. Angela is nowhere near that, nowhere near a mate, and not remotely close to being an alpha. He wants Gabe, _needs_ Gabe, but Gabe is gone.

 

Gabe is gone.

 

Gone.

 

His hand drifts down to his outstretched midsection, resting over the bump. He lets out a sob, and buries his face into Angela’s shoulder. She rubs his back, whispers calming words into his ear, even if he can’t get a grip on what she’s saying exactly.

 

“It’s alright, I promise.”


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jesse has regrets, Genji returns, and there's a new problem on base

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thought I'd bust this out with my sudden bout of inspiration!
> 
> I'm loving the support, comments and kudos are what makes me keep writing! 
> 
> Just to clarify, the baby is 100% Gabe's. Jesse got knocked up the night they mated, which was a week prior to the Swiss Base explosion (poor Jess). He only ever slept with Gabe after getting out of Deadlock, so there's no question on who the father is. (◡﹏◡✿)
> 
> Thanks for reading! xxx

When he dreams,  _ if  _ he dreams, he dreams of Gabe. He’s gotten used to it, reliving the one point in his life he wishes he could forget. 

 

If only it were that simple, to forget Gabe. 

 

Their arrangement was simple, purely physical in the beginning. Gabriel was an alpha, and he was an omega. They both had needs, and that was easy enough to fulfill that need. For years, it remained no strings attached, just two people finding pleasure in one another.

 

Of course, that didn’t last. Their arrangement was kept secret of course, their relationship breaking more rules then Jesse could count. They got closer then they should’ve, got more tender in bed. It started to show on missions, Reyes showing just a bit more worry for Jesse then the other agents. People started noticing, giving sly comments and teasing the both of them. 

 

Nobody ever made a move to stop it though, and it didn’t come as a surprise when he grew only closer with Gabe. 

 

Jesse begged for months,  _ bite me, mate me _ ; Gabe of course, never listened. 

 

“It’s too dangerous,” He would say, despite how it’s  _ already  _ dangerous. Even if everyone already knew. “I don’t want you getting hurt.” 

 

Eventually, on that night those months ago, Gabe finally bit him. It sealed the deal, Gabe claiming him as his and his alone. In that moment, Jesse didn’t regret a thing. 

 

“On your thigh, out of sight and out of mind.” Gabe had said with a kiss. He tasted like blood and salt, wiping away their mess. “You’re mine.” 

 

Jesse loved him so much, and he knew Gabe felt just the same. They shared a bed from there on, every morning Jesse sneaking back into his own quarters before the rest of the base woke up. 

 

A week later, and he had leave. Gabe had work to do, so he stayed on base while Jesse went shopping for some new jeans. He had ripped his favorite pair on a mission, and needed a replacement. It was that day that his comm blinked with the order for evacuation from the base, and then that he started to pray everyone was okay.

 

A day later, and he was in that coffee shop. Watching the report that gave him the news. His mate was dead, along with Jack and Ana. Countless others were lost in the explosion, but Gabe mattered most. 

 

_ He’s dead, _

 

_ He’s dead, _

 

_ He’s dead. _

 

And now, Jesse regrets it. Maybe, just  _ maybe,  _ if he wasn’t such a fool he wouldn't be in this situation. If he had any sense of self control then maybe he wouldn't be here, cradling his face in his hands. Covered in a cold sweat, mourning his mate instead of his boss, pregnant with his child. Alone in his quarters, hopeless and unable to sleep, even at this ungodly hour. 

 

They caught feelings, and it went too far, and now Jesse is stuck with the consequences.

 

* * *

Word spreads of his condition like wildfire, which was expected. Within a day everyone knew, though nobody addressed it directly. He still wore the loose fitting clothes rather than the old uniforms most agents sported, and spent more time taking up space then what he would like. 

 

Lena was cheery as ever, all hugs and wide smiles. She made the base a better place, lending a hand in making the abandoned rooms just a bit more homey. Reinhardt greeted him with a smile paired with a hand ruffling his hair. He offered some baked goods he’d made in his spare time, which Jesse accepted without hesitation. 

 

Agents arrive every day, some familiar faces and some not. Lucio, a little beta with a heart of gold, is one of those unfamiliar faces. He means well, really, he does. But Lucio is new, he doesn’t  _ know _ . 

 

“Oh man, it’s so cool how there’s no discrimination here! They even let omegas like you in, no questions asked! That’s just so awesome--”

 

Lena steps in before the kid can say anything more, pulling him away from Jesse with a hand on his shoulder. He watches Lucio’s eyes go the size of saucers, face pale and cringing. He wonders what Lena tells him, even if he already knows. Lucio didn’t mean it, but it still hits hard. 

 

_ Even omegas like you.  _

 

Jesse takes his leave, and doesn’t emerge from his quarters for the rest of the night. 

 

* * *

 

Genji arrives the next day, and watching him and Angela embrace brings warmth to his heart. Genji is just the same and different all at once. Playful, but calmer. He doesn’t seem like he has something violent on his mind every moment like he used to, indefinitely angry. He seems happy, and watching him spin Angela in a circle only solidifies that fact. 

 

Behind him, an omnic and a man watch on as Genji finally sets the doctor down, the two of them giggling. The omnic doesn’t have the ability to show much emotion through their metal features, but extending a hand and cheerfully shaking Angela’s makes them seem friendly enough. The man on the other hand, remains cut off from the conversation. He’s just as steel-faced as the omnic, thick arms crossed over his chest defensively. 

 

A magnificent blue dragon wraps itself around his arm, indicate linework and detail in the tattoo. That alone turns Jesse’s blood to ice, recognizing exactly who the man is despite never meeting him once in his life. 

 

A hand goes to rest over his belly, almost instinctively wanting to shield his baby from the man across the hangar. Suddenly, Jesse doesn’t feel safe anymore; despite all of the agents at his side. 

 

He knows what Hanzo Shimada did, and he doesn’t want to be near anything having to do with him. 

 

The hangar is filled with a scent so thick it makes Jesse cough. The scent is so strongly  _ alpha  _ that he wonders how he’s the only one directly affected by it. He tries to discreetly cover his nose, trying to muffle his coughing. 

 

It’s not just alpha, it’s a  _ distressed  _ alpha. It’s from one who feels so threatened that they’ve been backed into a corner, without any other line of defense other than release pheromones. Hanzo is outnumbered, and he knows it. If his scent change is intentional or not, Jesse isn’t sure. 

 

Genji is quickly approaching, brisk pace showing his excitement. Genji stops suddenly, only a few steps away, visor trained on his midsection. He doesn’t need to be told, surely knowing the full story by a minute change in scent. 

 

Genji recovers quickly, filling the gap and hugging Jesse. 

 

“I missed you.” The ninja says, holding him tight. 

 

“I missed you too, partner.” He says, though he’s not letting his guard down. He stares at the elder Shimada, the two of them meeting each other's gaze. It holds for a split second, and then Hanzo is tearing his eyes away, finding the ground interesting. 

 

Things on base just got much, much scarier. 

 

* * *

He had Genji catch up on things missed, avoiding the many elephants in the room. Jesse wants to ask about Hanzo just as much as Genji surely wants to ask about his pregnancy, but they know each other too well to not tread into that water. 

 

Just like most conversations, Jesse avoids Hanzo by any means possible. Of course, there are times when they can’t avoid each other, like in the cafeteria. Hanzo waits back to get a few people between him and Jesse before entering the line to get food, which the omega is grateful for. 

 

Jesse sits on one end of the room, and Hanzo finds a corner where he sits alone. No matter what, Jesse feels like he has eyes on him. May it be from other agents or Hanzo himself, he’s not sure. Though, every time he takes a glance around the room, Hanzo is looking anywhere but at Jesse. 

 

This goes on for days, neither one of them once getting any type of contact other than visual. 

 

Until today, when Hanzo walks over with an empty tray, stopping before Jesse. 

 

“Please, don’t be afraid of me.” He says simply. His scent is really toned down, and he looks like he’s trying to make himself smaller. “Constant stress isn’t healthy for the baby.” 

 

The weight of Peacekeeper on his hip is a small comfort, and he holds his head high when he speaks. “Thanks for the concern, though I sorta vowed to kill you at some point awhile back.” 

 

Hanzo recoils, taking a step back and frowning. “Genji has… forgiven me.” 

 

Jesse makes a noncommittal noise, taking a bite from his mashed potatoes. 

 

“I know what you’ve heard is terrible, and it’s true, but I’m a different man now.” Hanzo shakes his head, and then proceeds to sit down across from Jesse. It’s a bold move, but he doesn’t want to get up just yet. “I’m trying to be better, and maybe you can forgive me as my brother has. I, for one, am still trying to forgive myself.” 

 

Hanzo lets off guilt in waves, making Jesse’s nose crinkle. The alpha is vulnerable right now, sighing as he rubs at his eyes. 

 

“Dammit,” Hanzo swears to himself, then he’s standing again. “I just don’t want you to be scared. You obviously have enough on your plate already, and I don’t wish to make that harder on you. Be mad at me all you want, just don’t think that I want to hurt you; because I don’t.” 

 

There's a pause, where they’re just staring at one another. Jesse can see Winston watching them from a couple tables off, ready to step in if need be. Hanzo is the one to finally break their silence. 

 

“Think about what I’ve said, please.” He sighs. “Have a nice night, McCree.” 

 

And then he walks away, returning his tray and exiting the cafeteria. Jesse just stares down at his food, lost. He stands, dumps out the rest of his meal and returns his tray too. He’s lost all his appetite. 

 

Later that night, Jesse has a different kind of dream. This time, he’s without Gabe, but he’s not alone.

 

There’s a new alpha taking up the void that Gabe left behind. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This wraps up Promise for now, so make sure you're following the series to stay updated! 
> 
> I promise things will get better for Jesse, eventually (◕‿◕✿)

**Author's Note:**

> I wrote this in like. 4 hours off and on. Hard to get an idea for a fic (*ahem* entire series?) out of my head


End file.
